In the epic poem “Beowulf,” Grendel’s mother attacks the hall of Herot, also known as Heorot, for a number of reasons.
Firstly, Grendel’s mother is seeking revenge for the death of her son, who was killed by the hero Beowulf. As a result, she attacks Herot with the intention of killing Beowulf and avenging her son’s death.
Secondly, Grendel’s mother may also be motivated by a desire to protect her own territory. The hall of Herot is located in the kingdom of the Danes, which Grendel’s mother and her son had both been terrorizing for some time. By attacking the hall, she may have been attempting to assert her dominance over the Danes and their territory.
Finally, it is also possible that Grendel’s mother attacks Herot as a way of preserving her own survival. As a monstrous creature living in the wilderness, she may have seen the hall and its inhabitants as a threat to her own existence and felt the need to attack in self-defense.
Overall, Grendel’s mother attacks Herot out of a combination of revenge, territoriality, and self-preservation. Her attack serves as a major turning point in the story of “Beowulf,” leading to a final confrontation between Beowulf and the monstrous creatures that have been plaguing the kingdom.